Pakistan and its one-sided love story for Kashmir is unending. During his address at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again raked up the Kashmir bogey while calling upon India to resolve the dispute through talks. However, when Sharif was talking about India’s threat to take control of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, his voice appeared to have betrayed him. It may be notable that BJP leaders including Yogi Adityanath and Rajnath Singh have repeatedly said that PoK was and remains an integral part of India.
During his address, Sharif said, “It (India) has engaged in massive expansion of its military capabilities, which are essentially deployed against Pakistan. Its war doctrines envisage a surprise attack and a limited war under the nuclear overhang. Thoughtlessly, India spurned Pakistan’s proposals for a mutual strategic restraint to the regime. Its leadership has often threatened to cross the line of control and take over Azad Kashmir,” Shehbaz Sharif said.
Sharif also went on to say that Pakistan will respond decisively to Indian aggression. “Let me state in no uncertain terms, Pakistan will respond most decisively to any Indian aggression, therefore, to secure durable peace, India must reverse the unilateral and illegal measures it has taken since 5th of August 2019 and enter into a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the UN Security resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he claimed.
Sharif also said that instead of moving towards peace, India has resiled from its commitments to implement the Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. “These resolutions mandate the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their fundamental right to self-determination. Since 5th August 2019, India has initiated unilateral illegal steps to impose what its leaders honestly call a final solution for Jammu and Kashmir,” Shehbaz Sharif claimed.
Following the 2019 Pulwama attack, India made it clear that it seeks normal bilateral relations with Pakistan, but emphasized that it is Pakistan’s responsibility to foster a conducive environment free from terrorism and hostility.
India has consistently voiced its concerns over Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism, reiterating that dialogue and terrorism cannot coexist. India will now exercise its right to respond to Pakistan’s address at the UNGA.
